GJ Gardner - Mandalay 298 - QLD

Hi, we can't find a lot regarding Mandalay 298 builds on the internet, so planning on creating this blog to a) provide my family a diary of the building process; and b) provide some insight into our design of the Mandalay 298, along with the processes via GJ Gardner.

Background
House design: GJ Gardner - Mandalay 298 with some modification bringing it to 303m2
Land: 2470m2 - H1 soil - backs on to reserve - 99m left side, 76m right side, 28m width, 36m rear fence
Preliminary deposit paid: 14 April 2016
Preliminary plans provided: 22 April 2016, amendments made 27 April 2016
Old house settled: 16 May 2016
Final quote and drawings drawn up: 15 May 2016
Land settled: 30 May 2016
Colours consultant: 15 June 2016 - Appointment 1 - exterior side of things; 2nd appointment 1 July 2016
Contract: Received 23 June 2016 - signed, sealed & delivered to bank 1 July 2016 (hold up was because it wasn't signed when first given to bank - they requested it signed); new contract (minus solar system) signed and delivered to broker 19 July 2016 at 5pm
Valuation: received 11 July - lower than needed but sorted (removed solar system from contract); amended valuation/finance approved unconditionally 1 August 2016 (a long wait!)
Council approval: into council 26 July 2016; all approved 18 August 2016
Start date: fill and level 19 August 2016
Slab poured: 26 August 2016
Wall frames: 31 August 2016
Roof trusses: 1 September 2016
Roof on: sheeting started 9 September 2016; completed 15 September
Windows installed: 9 September 2016
Bricks: started 19 September 2016; completed 29 September 2016
Electrical fit-out: rough in 16th September; start fit-out 23 November 2016; finshed _________
Plumbing: 14-15th September 2016;
Plastering: started 22 September 2016; completed 29 September 2016 (not skirting); shed lining 5/12/2016
Kitchen: cabinets 6 October 2016; stone-tops 13 October 2016 (pantry sink incorrect 13/10/16 - installed above mount, should be under mount - pantry sink fixed 17/10/16); fit-out finished ______________; BBQ cabinets and BBQ installed 12 December 2016
Bathrooms: cabinets 6 October 2016; stone-tops 13 October 2016; wall tiling started 4 November 2016 (more tiles needed to complete); fit-out finished ______________
Flooring - timber: finished5 December 2016
Flooring - tiling: started 18 October 2016; no work from 19-26 Oct; restarted tiling 1 November 2016;
Painting: started 11 November 2016; finished 19 November 2016
Pool installed: started 17 October 2016; concrete pour 20/10/16;
Septic/Effluent system installed: started 26 October 2016; finished 27 October 2016; drainage completed 28 October 2016
Shed installed: slab poured 8 November 2016; completed 17 November 2016
Driveway 279m2 installed: Half poured 12 December 2016
Courtyard slab installed: poured 4 November 2016
Pool decking installed: 10 December 2016
All outdoor areas tiled:
Handover:
Landscaping completed:


Inclusions we're currently negotiating:
* we're keeping the Classic facade - brick with colorbond roof
* Award series inclusions
* H class foundations allowance
* ducted air-con 16kw Daikin
* concrete inground pool 9x4.5m rectangular shape with full length bench
* 9.4m x 12m shed with 3.6x3m centre door, 3.1x2.7m side doors
* 5kw solar (REC panels and SunnyBoy inverter) - taken out of contract - will install after settlement
* raised ceiling to 2550mm (3400mm in foyer)
* added porch from roofline
* security screens/doors (crimsafe to front door) and changes to window sizes and configurations
* replace all carpet to wooden floorboards (French Oak Inovar laminate)
* raised slab 200mm
* waterfall feature to kitchen island bench - caserstone 20mm
* tiling alfresco area - also slab under eaves on one side (pool side)
* massive driveway to rear shed (approx 270m2 - 3.5x55m + 5x9m in front of shed)
* aggregate driveway to garage and porch
* porch tiled
* freestanding bath with floor tap - ensuite
* raise garage panel door to 2200mm
* concrete courtyard area
* niche in showers
* laundry overhead cupboards
* heaps of extra double powerpoints
* extra TV points - including pool area, alfresco and courtyard
* fans x 7 plus alfresco
* tinted windows - extra dark on western windows, light grey elsewhere - no tint on sliding doors to courtyard and alfresco
* extra taps x 6 (8 total)
* extra external double powerpoints (8 total)
* extra 800mm wall to study
* tap provision for fridge
* wall cabinets in ensuite, main bath and powder room - no extra charge
* Fuji septic system - town water and power but not sewage
* extra downlights and pendant lighting in foyer (2 - 1 large, 1 medium) and above kitchen bench (3 small)
* sales consultant is 'throwing in' upgrade to LED lights, soft close drawers in kitchen and double bin under sink

Extras added on later:
* exposed aggregate (eclipse) path from garage to pool area (originally only to clothesline)
* concrete courtyard and outdoor tiles laid
* exposed aggregate around pool area (eclipse)
* changed pool layout and size - now 8.5m x 5m and changed orientation
* plaster half of the shed to 2.4m with insulation - me to paint
* French Oak laminate flooring to 1/3 of shed (man cave / workbench part)
* overlap fence palings to existing fence and run sleepers along the bottom
* extra electrical fittings - ie. TV/antenna to shed; TV to kids' rooms; dimlight to alfresco (4 lights); change spotlights; extra powerpoints
* change butler's pantry to include wrap around bench and cupboards. Cupboards are stylelite gloss white (very shiny)
* no handles to stylelite overhead cupboards
* rain style shower head from ceiling as well as shower rail (square)
* Webber built-in BBQ with rangehood and mocha 300x600 ultra gloss backsplash
* water tank cement pad
* 6.2m x 3.2m garden shed cement pad
* 3 x whirley birds on house and 3 x whirley birds on shed
*

In the next few weeks we're expecting (hoping) the following will happen:
* our house settle - 16 May 2016
* land settle - before 30 May 2016
* floor plan and colours selected
* final contracts drawn up and signed
* finance approved (valuation of contract endorsed)
* plans submitted to council and approval within 3 weeks from submission (ideal world!)
* on track for pre-Christmas handover!


I can vouch that the sales consultant has been very patient, quick to respond and quite transparent throughout our back and forth communications. I hope the high level of service continues. I know we're right at the beginning stages, but I'm already wishing it was April 2017!

Below is a standard floor plan of the Mandalay 298



Cheers

I love how big your block is! Don't see that around very often anymore.

It's also good to see a few GJ builds popping up around here.

Looking forward to following your build.

Loving this design, wish we had the cash to complete something like this. The WIR's to the bedrooms is a great idea.

Can't wait to follow your progress. I am doing a GJ 249sqm design in Townsville, Iv just started my thread.

Thanks Nelope. We were looking for 1/2 to an acre - hence why we thought we'd need to buy existing to stay in town. We feel pretty lucky to have secured the last decent block in the area (most sold 4+ years ago).

Below is a photo of our land - left fence (aged timber) is 99m long and right fence (fresh timber) is 76m long. Block is 28m wide. We're coming in 3-3.5m from the left, which should leave approx 10m on the right. Standard 6m set-back (in line with the other houses).

We do have a tree covenant at the rear of the block - most trees are basically on the rear fence line. Quite a few of the shrubs and a few other trees outside of the covenant will be cleared to make way for the shed, etc.



And here is a layout image of the proposed plan to scale on the land. Including the fire pit at the rear! 3x6m garden shed behind main shed plus water tank sometime in the future.

Hey Hazza!

Nice choice on the house, we are building with GJ also but we are building the Stillwater 231 (Modified). Waiting for our final plans to come through and then we will start our own build thread! Look forward to following your build!

- Ads

Thanks townsvillebuyer, I was reading your build thread earlier today - looks like you're on to a fantastic property too.



Awesome Ads. Best of luck with your build. I'll be keeping an eye on other builds to get a perspective of what to expect ourselves, along the way. As well as pick-up some handy tips, as it's our first (and possibly last) build.

Edit: just checked out your blog, in your signature - the Stillwater is a similar design to the Mandalay (central courtyard) - looking forward to seeing your build unfold.

That's an excellent size block! I love the Mandalay design, we are building a modified Coolum 277 design with GJ Gardner Grafton Office on acreage later this year.

Loving all the GJ builds lately, can't wait to follow

I'll definitely be following I'm interested in the Mandalay.

Posting to follow. We built a custom mandalay on the tweed coast. Its the best floor plan. Really suits our family. No regrets at all. You will love it. Cant wait to see how yours turns out.

Thanks for the interest guys.

livpal - Can you share how you landscaped your courtyard area?
Reassuring to hear that your family is happy and without regret. We can't wait!

Its a work in progress at the moment. Its all grassed for the moment and thats the kids play area. Would love to put a pool in it some day. But we will most likely pave or deck a small part of it as this will be the kids entertainment area leaving the back for the adults. I have a thread i will try and copy and paste the thread. Not sure how to do it. My thread is called Build northern nsw- Landscaping pics

Have just been looking through your build - thanks for sharing. Well done, it looks fantastic. No wonder you're happy.

How do find the 2550mm ceiling - does it give a feeling of spaciousness?

Yeah well that was a last minute change. We ended up upgrading to 2700mm throughout and 2400mm sliding stackers. So glad we upgraded tbh. I felt the standard doors would feel to enclosed and to make them taller we had to upgrade to 2700mm ceilings which def wasnt a bad thing.

Its great to see some more GJ threads coming in. I love your block, so much room to do things.

One step closer - moved in to rental property. Now to clean our sold house in preparation for settlement on Monday, 16 May.

Construction : Waiting for update plans and quotes. Contract shouldn't be far away.

Land: signed finance docs on Friday. To settle on 30 May.

Will you still do the internal courtyard as a concrete slab? Will it be part of the house foundation or seperate?

Have you come across some ideas for the area? Pictures?

Our plan is to concrete slab 600mm from each house wall and timber look stencil-crete the slab. Rock around the edges with plants evenly spaced. Along the driveway will be a long hedge and plants within. A water feature is planned in the top corner with wide pavers from courtyard to alfresco. I have some photos on the computer, however, still waiting for phone/internet connection. The mud plan in my second post above gives a birds-eye view.

Wow you are super organised with your landscape ideas and plans. Good on you. It will look fantastic. We only did grass in our courtyard because we dont have much backyard but u have plenty of room for grass. Wish we a tiny bit more backyad so we can turn our courtyard into a feature like yours. Will you use it as another entertainment area? I love the idea of a water feature...if i cant get my pool that may be my next option. Yours will look awesome.
Cant wait to pave ours and we are going to put some sort of roof over the paved part. Will post pics when we have finished.
Cant wait to see your update plans.

I like how you kept yours grass with your kids... they'd use it all the time, being right there from the house. Gives you time to plan what you'd like to do down the track.

Our block is big, we hope the kids look past the pool to use it. The long driveway will be handy for them too.

With our block's aspect we thought the courtayd will be a nice place to relax as well as be a bit of a feature when looking/walking through the house.

Hopefully it all comes to plan but a long way to go yet.

It will be perfect im sure. This 1st part was the worst with our build because it took so long. But once you get past admin and planning it flies. And never thought i would say it but the finished product is worth all the painstaking planning and waiting. Im sure yours will be worth it too.